British Sea Power @ Newcastle University 09/10/08

Upon entering the Basement, I am trembling with a nervous excitement at the chance to see if an this Mercury-nominated band’s live show pays a suitable tribute to the glowing nature of their reviews for third LP ‘Do You Like Rock Music’? After all, said album (in addition to the two preceding ones) boasts beautiful, heart-wrenching anthems, designed by the band themselves to ‘challenge the listener’s perspective on what rock music actually is’. But can they cut it live? (I won’t mention at this point that I witnessed a superb display last year in the slightly smellier, colder surroundings of All Saints Church which promptly converted me to the Sea Power cause. For now, I am a neutral observer).
Well the answer is a glaringly obvious ‘absobloodylutely’. The moment the band arrive on stage, singer Yan (Scott?) Wilkinson begins proceedings with a shy ‘Hello, we’re going to play this one first for my Dad ‘cos he’s here tonight but has to get the Metro back to Sunderland in half an hour....’ the audience is smitten. Well, those down at the front are anyway, leaping around in ecstasy to a ferocious Remember Me disposed of in a three-minute flurry of furious aggression. Some have described BSP as ‘the Futureheads sparring with Arcade Fire’. Either way, it’s awesome.
As the set gathers pace, the band’s slightly eccentric tendencies (the stage is covered in foliage and stuffed owls) become prevalent. A reconstruction of the sweeping instrumental ‘The Great Skua’ slows everything down and gives fans a chance to breathe, while the backdrop of a projection of penguins on to a screen provides a welcome distraction from now static musicians. Then it’s back to business as usual, lead guitarist Martin Noble’s understated, melodic riffs sailing over the mesh of noise for the frantic Down on the Ground and, most impressively, the jaw-dropping Carrion. It doesn’t take long to realise that this band actually has everything one could want from a rock outfit, especially in their obvious joy at beating out their songs which is thus enhanced by the appearance of ‘Ursine Ultra’, a 12-foot (fake!) bear that makes an appearance during the encore for an insane Spirit of St. Louis, which sees piggy-backs among band members, the theft of Noble’s trouser leg and a prolonged crowdsurf from Yan.
One leaves the venue completely bewildered, but buzzing. And that’s probably exactly how a rock concert should be.

Review by Kate Edwards (images by Solveig Werner)